Simple Budgeting – Ah, budgeting. The word that makes some of us shudder just thinking about it. I used to be the type of person who didn’t really “budget” in the traditional sense. I’d check my bank account balance, cringe at the number, and then tell myself I’d do better next month. Guess what? I didn’t. And I’m sure some of you can relate to that. But after a few financial missteps (don’t ask about the time I thought I could survive on takeout for an entire month), I decided to take budgeting seriously. Now, I save more every month without feeling deprived. How, you ask? Well, let me share five simple tips that helped me transform my finances.
5 Simple Budgeting Tips to Save More Every Month
1. Track Your Spending – It’s Easier Than You Think
I’m not going to lie; the first time I sat down to track my expenses, I was horrified. It was like opening Pandora’s box—suddenly, I saw every latte, every Uber ride, every impulsive purchase I made. My first instinct was to bury my head in the sand and pretend I hadn’t seen it. But here’s the thing: if you don’t track your spending, you’ll never know where your money’s going. And let me tell you, it’s not going to anything helpful.
So, I decided to use an app (there are plenty of free ones out there like Mint or PocketGuard) to track where my money was leaking out. And guess what? I realized how much I was spending on things I didn’t need. Example: I’d spend $5 on coffee almost every day. Add that up for a month, and boom, that’s $150! Cutting back wasn’t as painful as I thought, and it freed up some cash that I could actually save or use on things that mattered. If you’re serious about saving more, you’ve got to be real with yourself about your habits.
2. Create a Realistic Budget That Works for You
Ah, the dreaded budget. A lot of people feel like budgeting means extreme deprivation, but that’s not true at all. When I first started budgeting, I made the mistake of trying to be super strict: no eating out, no spontaneous shopping trips, no Netflix subscriptions. Well, surprise, surprise—I didn’t stick to it. A rigid budget can feel like a cage, and that’s why so many people give up on it.
Instead of cutting everything out, I learned to create a budget that worked for my lifestyle. For me, that meant leaving room for small indulgences (like a night out with friends) but cutting down on other expenses (like buying a new phone every year). I set limits on categories—$100 for eating out, $50 for entertainment—and made sure I didn’t go over. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a lot more sustainable. The key is to be realistic. No one can live like a monk 24/7, and your budget shouldn’t make you feel like you’re in financial prison.
3. Automate Your Savings
The hardest part of saving is actually… well, saving. It’s so easy to think, “I’ll save once I’ve paid off all my bills,” but when that moment comes, there’s always something else that needs attention. Trust me, if you wait until the end of the month, you’ll end up with nothing to save. So, I set up automatic transfers from my checking account to my savings account.
It’s almost like cheating. I don’t even see the money leave my account, and it’s almost like I forget about it. And guess what? I don’t miss it. I started with a small amount—just $50 a month—but over time, it added up. If you’ve got a savings goal, like an emergency fund or a vacation fund, setting up automation is the easiest way to consistently save without having to think about it. You’ll be surprised at how much you can save just by having it happen automatically.
4. Cut Out the Small, Unnecessary Subscriptions
We all have them—those tiny subscriptions that seem harmless but, when added up, can be draining your wallet. Think about it: Netflix, Spotify, that random app you signed up for and forgot about, meal delivery services, magazines. These small things tend to slip under the radar, but they can add up fast. I’ll be honest; I didn’t realize how many subscriptions I had until I took a good, hard look at my bank statement one day. It was a mess.
So, I went through and canceled anything I wasn’t using. Maybe you’re like me, and you’ve been paying for that gym membership that you haven’t used in months. Or the streaming service you haven’t logged into in forever. It felt good to finally let go of these things, and the savings were immediate. It wasn’t a huge amount of money, but every little bit adds up. Plus, I found that without the distractions, I started enjoying simpler things more—like reading a book instead of binge-watching the latest series.
5. Set Clear, Achievable Goals for Your Money
Finally, and this is the big one—set clear, achievable goals. For the longest time, I saved money without really knowing why. Sure, I wanted to build up an emergency fund, but beyond that, I didn’t have a clear goal. Once I started setting specific financial goals, things started clicking into place.
It could be as simple as saving $500 for a weekend getaway or aiming to pay off a credit card by the end of the year. Having a goal makes it easier to stay motivated, especially when temptation hits. For me, the goal of building an emergency fund was the driving force. Once I hit that milestone, I set new goals for travel savings and retirement. It made saving feel less like a chore and more like something I was working toward.
Wrapping It Up
So there you have it—five simple tips that have helped me save more money each month without making me feel like I’m missing out on life. Tracking your spending, creating a realistic budget, automating savings, cutting out unnecessary subscriptions, and setting clear goals are all easy ways to take control of your finances. I won’t say it’s been a smooth ride (spoiler: it hasn’t), but it’s been worth it. If I can do it, you can too. It’s all about making small, sustainable changes and sticking with them. And, trust me, your future self will thank you for it!
